“The Star-Spangled Banner” is the official national anthem of the United States. Francis Scott Key wrote the words to it in 1814 after seeing British ships attacking Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland during the War of 1812. The words are set to the music of a British drinking song called “To Anacreon in Heaven”.

During the 19th century, “The Star-Spangled Banner” became one of the nation’s best-loved patriotic songs. It gained special significance during the Civil War, a time when many Americans turned to music to express their feelings for the flag and the ideals and values it represented.

Like so many famous songs of yore, “The Star-Spangled Banner” started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812. The stanzas recount the Battle of Baltimore, a days-long siege between British and American forces.

The Flag. The War of 1812 elevated the American flag to icon status. But the flag’s appearance over Fort McHenry during the Battle for Baltimore and Francis Scott Key’s poem “The Star-Spangled Banner” inspired the public. After the war, the flag was often displayed as a symbol of national pride and unity.

“The Star-Spangled Banner” was recognized for official use by the United States Navy in 1889, and by U.S. president Woodrow Wilson in 1916, and was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1508, codified at 36 U.S.C. § 301), which was signed by President Herbert Hoover.

President Woodrow Wilson adopted the song as a de facto “national anthem” in 1916 but did not codify this ruling. In 1929, “House Resolution 14” was presented to Congress to name “The Star-Spangled Banner” as the official national anthem to the United States.

According to state law, if a person “plays, sings or renders the ”Star Spangled Banner” in any public place, theatre, motion picture hall, restaurant or cafe, or at any public entertainment, other than as a whole and separate composition or number, without embellishment or addition in the way of national or other …

Can students be forced to stand while other students recite the Pledge? No, two courts have held that students cannot be forced to stand while other students recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Students are opposed to standing and reciting the pledge for several different reasons. Some students dislike current events occurring in the United States such as racism, homophobia, and sexism, and not standing for the pledge as a way to silently protest. As students, acceptable forms of protest are limited.

Teachers discredit evolution if they counterbalance the teaching of evolution with the teaching of creationism (Edwards v. Aguillard). Since the US Constitution requires that public schools be religiously neutral, a teacher cannot present any particular creation story as being more “true” than others.

Are silent meditations allowed in public schools? Under the Equal Access Act and the First Amendment, public school students may meet if the school has created a limited open forum during non-instructional time.

In Wallace v. Jaffree (1985) the Supreme Court struck down an Alabama “moment of silence” law because it was enacted for the express purpose of promoting prayer in public schools. At the same time, however, the Court indicated that a moment of silence would be constitutional if it is genuinely neutral.

Court Lets Religious Clubs Meet in Schools : Ruling: The U.S. Supreme Court decides that high schools that allow extracurricular activities on campus must also permit students to gather for prayer.

School policies endorsing student-led prayer are illegal and indefensible and violate the establishment clause. * Follow court mandates or state statutes that apply to your schools regarding student-led voluntary prayer. These practices will vary from state to state based on court rulings and/or state law.